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The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a disruptive shift from face-to-face instruction to distance-learning, impacting academia in the U.S. across undergraduate and graduate levels. This study, conducted in the fall of 2020, explores the impact these changes have had on higher education faculty in STEM fields.

Findings include:

• Restrictions on gatherings and similar safety requirements have forced faculty to shift to online instruction in unprecedented numbers.
• 73% of respondents surveyed report having converted face-to-face coursework to remote learning, despite more than a third of respondents having no prior experience with online education.
• The most serious barrier to successfully implementing online STEM education, as reported by respondents, is a perceived lack of student motivation to engage with online coursework.
• While generally optimistic about the potential effectiveness of online labs, only 18% of survey respondents have made use of them in their coursework.
• Respondents believe that the transition to online-learning has exacerbated the divide between the have and the have-nots, as a lack of resources (including but not limited to access to technology, robust internet connectivity, and support services) unfairly impacts underserved student populations.
• The findings highlight the need for additional research into the effectiveness of online STEM education.

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